Sunscreen stains and salt marks do not call for the same treatment. With sunscreen, first remove excess product and then use a stain remover that is suitable for the fabric. Salt marks can often be rinsed out with fresh water. Always check the garment label before you pre-treat or wash.
Where do these stains come from?
Sunscreen contains oils and filters that remain on the fibres of your clothing. This creates greasy, yellowish stains, especially in places where cream and clothing meet: collar, sleeves and shoulders. Salt marks form when sea water or sweat dries and the salts stay behind on the fabric. They are white, stiff edges, often at the bottom of trouser legs or around the underarms. Both stains can be treated well, provided you act quickly.
Sunscreen stains step by step
- Dab the stain dry. Use a clean cloth or kitchen paper and do not rub.
- Choose a suitable stain remover. Only use a product that is suitable for grease stains and for the material of the garment.
- Test first on an inconspicuous spot. Especially with coloured, shiny or fine fabrics.
- Follow the working time on the product. Leaving it longer is not automatically better.
- Wash the garment. Choose the programme and temperature on the label.
- Check before drying. If the stain is still visible, repeat the treatment.
Removing salt marks
Salt is water-soluble. Rinse the spot with fresh water if the garment label allows it and then wash according to the label. For shoes or other materials that must not get wet, follow the care advice for the material in question.
What works for which fabric?
| Fabric | Approach | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Use a suitable stain remover and follow the care label | Cotton differs per weave and finish |
| Viscose and lyocell | Gently dab, rinse and treat carefully | Do not rub hard |
| Polyester and polyamide | Pre-treat and wash according to the label | Follow the maximum temperature on the label |
| Fine knit | Dab carefully | Dry flat |
Examples from the wardrobe
With the light blue Hamilton shirt and the navy Atticus polo, first follow the current care label. Both have a maximum wash advice of 30 °C. So do not treat a sunscreen stain based on the fibre name alone.
The Lenora in light blue is a fine-knit T-shirt with tweed look (70% viscose and 30% polyamide). Treat such a fine knit gently: dab and rinse rather than rubbing hard. The same applies to the Josephine polo in cream (79.9% viscose and 20.1% polyamide) and the Veronique cardigan in light grey, which is made of 100% lyocell. Light colours show stains more quickly, so after a day in the sun take a good look at collar, shoulders and sleeves.
How to tell the difference
Sunscreen can leave greasy or yellowish residue; dried salt often leaves light or stiff edges. If you are not sure what the stain is, do not immediately use a strong product. Check the label and carefully test a suitable treatment.
Clothing that can handle the beach
For a day by the water, it is practical to wear clothing whose care you know. Even machine-washable clothing can be sensitive to certain stain removers, so always check the label.
What you had better not do
- Do not use a higher temperature than the care label allows.
- Check the stain before you use heat. Heat can make some residues harder to remove.
- Only use bleach if the garment label and the product allow it.
- Do not scrub hard. That damages fine knits and can affect the fibres.
How to prevent new stains
Let sunscreen absorb as much as possible before you get dressed and check clothing after a day at the seaside for salt or cream. Only rinse when the material tolerates it and then wash according to the label. On our care instructions page you can read how to read the symbols.
Misunderstandings about stains
- "The harder you rub, the faster it is gone." Not true: rubbing presses the stain into the fibre and damages the fabric.
- "Warm water removes everything." For many stains, including sweat, the opposite works.
- "A stain that has dried is gone for good." Only dry once you are sure the stain has disappeared.
- "Salt is harmless." It leaves stiff edges that you had better rinse out straight away.
When to go to the dry cleaner?
If the label says you may not wash the garment yourself or the fabric is delicate, go to the dry cleaner. Tell them what kind of stain it is and how long it has been there. You will find more clothing in light shades in the collections shirts for Men, polos for Men and T-shirts for Women.
Shop the look
Hamilton: cotton shirt with Italian collar, light blue
Atticus: striped cotton polo, navy
Lenora: fine-knit two-tone T-shirt, light blue
Josephine: knitted polo with V-neck, cream
Veronique: fine-knit lyocell cardigan, light grey
Frequently asked questions
How do you get sunscreen stains out of clothing?
Remove excess product, choose a stain remover that is suitable for the fabric, test it and then follow the product and washing instructions.
How do you remove salt marks?
Rinse with fresh water when the material allows it and then wash according to the garment label.
May I put a garment with a sunscreen stain in the dryer?
Preferably not. First check that the stain is really gone, because heat sets a remaining stain.
Why do sunscreen stains turn yellow?
The oils and filters in sunscreen stay on the fibres and discolour over time. That is why treating quickly is important.
